Some people have their reservations about minimalism and have expressed their worries and questions to me- so I will tackle the seven perceived negatives of this lifestyle and explain why they aren’t so bad.
What if you hurt people’s feelings?
What if you get rid of something you regret?
If it's something replaceable- you can easily buy another if this were to happen.
If it’s something irreplaceable, I would urge you to ask the question- where does the regret stem from? There are certain feelings attached to items and sometimes if we break them down, we can figure out the real reason for the regret. Perhaps the item reminded you of someone- if they are still with you- cherish the person not the yearn for the item back.
If the person has passed- you still have fond memories of them- these won’t be erased with the item, so talk about the person with your loved ones and look over old photographs.
If you've kept something out of guilt- remind yourself that you should ideally have things in your home that bring you joy not negativity.
What if you hurt people’s feelings?
Most of the time when you get rid of things- the gifter doesn’t know and will likely never find out. If for some reason they do discover that you have discarded an item they gave to you- explain to them that you weren’t getting any use out of it and their money hasn’t been wasted because someone else will be delighted to have it in their home. If the item has gone to a charity shop- it has helped raised money for a good cause. Most people haven given unwanted things away for raffle prizes or to charity shops in their time so they should understand you can’t always get it right when it comes to giving presents.
What if you become detached from other people?
Minimalism can be about living simply to spend more time with others and less time with stuff. If anything, it enriches your experiences with others and makes you closer- not more detached. You are never going to put your parents in a bag and send them for donation are you?!
What if you get to the end and find that you aren’t any happier?
Minimalism has no end. It’s an ongoing process- there will always be new things entering the home that need to be dealt with. That aside, the whole reason behind spending less time cleaning, organising, moving and sorting stuff means you can spend more time on what you really love to do- whatever that may be. It can be difficult to identify what this is if you have lived for years cosseted by material possessions so be patient with yourself. Essentially- it’s whatever your heart yearns for- so dig deep! Happiness isn’t a guarantee but if you are able to so something you love that you couldn’t before because of clutter- you are on the right path to a more fulfilled life.
What if you become preoccupied with looking for things to give away all the time?
Once you have cleared the unnecessary items out of your life, you cherish the pieces that are left, and you only feel the need to get rid of and replace something if it’s worn out. There comes a point of equilibrium where you know exactly what you want in your home and the decisions become easier about the things you don’t. The focus is less intense because the sheer amount of things to worry about is greatly reduced.
Does your house look cold and empty?
To me- no. It looks tidy most of the time and takes very little effort to clean now I don’t have to lift lots of ornaments to dust under and take piles of decorative pillows off my bed to change the sheets. I choose to fill the space with meaningful artwork- which brings colour and interest to the rooms in my home but it’s on the walls so to doesn’t take up much space. I also choose bold colours- despite popular belief, minimalists don’t always colour their spaces with white.
Do you think badly of people with cluttered homes?
No. Each to their own I’d say. It’s not a way I want to live my life but it’s none of my business how others want to live theirs. People are comforted by things, people like to have things around them- and if it brings them joy- I can’t criticise them for that. The point is, it doesn’t bring me joy and that is why I decided to live with less.
Tagged in Minimalism Decluttering